Saturday, June 14, 2014

Common Core Resources from OGAP Training - Summer 2013

Summertime means sleeping in (sometimes), attending workshops and conferences galore, my church's annual turtle race to celebrate the end of VBS, and mowing the lawn. It also means looking through ideas to implement during the next school year. I love leaving a workshop or conference with a binder full of great ideas. But, when in need of inspiration, I usually turn to the Internet for help - not my shelf of giant binders. This summer, one of my goals is to get organized. And, one way I can do that is to type up my conference notes. Then, I can use my blog's lovely search feature when I'm looking for something! Smart, right? Plus, these resources might also inspire one of my readers. Double win!

As I prepare to attend my second summer of the Oklahoma Geometry and Algebra Project (OGAP), I'm revisiting my notes from last summer's conference. Enjoy!

Collaborative Learning Tips:
* Make sure everybody in the group has a specific job.
* Focus on 1 Problem
* Don't expect every group to finish
* Give each group only one copy of the question - encourages cooperative work!

Paper Cup Review Strategy
* Gather 10ish review problems you would like your students to complete.
* Place each review problem in a paper/plastic cup.
* Around Easter time, you could place each problem in an easter egg!
* Assign each person in the group a job.
- Traveler - Selects problems and directs consensus
- Reader - Makes sure the group understands the question
- Recorder - Makes sure that each person is recording all problem solutions
- Question Seeker - Leads dialogue by asking, "Does this make sense?" or "How do we know" or "Why?"
* Give each student a recording sheet. (Empty square for each review problem.)
* Traveler goes to front of room and selects a cup.
* Group works together to solve that problem. All students must agree on answer. All students must show work on their own recording sheet.
* Can change group roles halfway through the activity.
* Ideal to have most groups finish 7-8 problems.
* Perfect semester test or standardized test review.
* Give every student a full copy of every question and every answer at completion of activity.
* When grading: Engagement > # of Problems Solved

Introduce function notation through a family tree example. Taken from 1987 issue of Mathematics Teacher. Online PDF of activity (I tried this activity with my Algebra 2 students. They were not at all familiar with the structure of a family tree. Very confusing for them!) Aligns with F-IF.1 and F-IF.2

Use Move the Monster Activity to Introduce Transformations
Blogged about this activity here.

If your students are struggling with solving equations, introduce them to the do/undo method. This method is especially great for solving literal equations. Aligns to A-REI.3 and A-REI.1. Tie in with wrapping a present analogy. Actually wrap a present in front of the class. See a foldable I made for this method here.

Find the Weights Problem from Problems With A Point
Great Introduction to A.REI.11 and N-Q.2
Introduction to Systems of Equations
Emphasizes Perseverance and Repeated Reasoning

Algeo Problem from Problems With A Point
With 8th Grade Common Core Geometry, this may be an Algebra 1 level problem.
Give students a page with 26 boxes to show work in.
My tablemates had a blast with this problem during the conference!

All Tied Up In Knots Lab for Solving Systems of EquationsLink to Instructions
Aligns to A.REI.6 and S-ID.6 and S-ID.7
(Note: Make the fatter rope the longest!)

Slide and Divide Factoring Strategy when a>1
(I taught this method this year, but I am not in love with it. Next year, I will only be teaching factoring by grouping!)
Aligns to A-REI.4

Common Core requires Algebra 1 students to be very comfortable with finding/interpreting the discriminant!

Our kids need to stop thinking like the book has taught them to think. #1 should not be the easiest. #25 should not be the hardest.

A Trip To The Lake
A-REI.11
A-REI.7
A-REI.10
F-BF.4.A
F-IF.4
F-BF.1.A
Give each group a large piece of graph paper!
First page is appropriate for Algebra 1
Entire activity is appropriate for Algebra 2
Don't put origin at bottom of graph.Link to file

Dice - NO FIVES Activity
Give each group 50 dice. Students roll dice. Remove all 5s. Record remaining number of dice. Roll dice again. Remove all 5s. Record. Roll, Remove, Record. Continue until you run out of dice. have students identify the domain and range of their data. Sketch a scatterplot. Determine what type of regression would be appropriate. Find the regression equation. What does the y-intercept of this equation mean in the context of the problem?

The Case of the Cooling Corpse
F-BF.1.B
F-LE.1
F-LE.5
I really wanted to do this activity this year with my Algebra 2 students, but we ran out of time!

PISA Released Items - Great source of Common Core style questions!
M159 Speed of a Racing Car would make a great bellwork problem!PDF File (Page 29)
F-IF.4

Community Center ProblemPDF Page 15
F-IF.4, F-IF.5, F-IF.6
We added several other questions to this activity.
I did this problem with my Algebra 2 students this year, and they struggled with it majorly! I gave it as a homework assignment that most did not turn in. The students who came to me for one-on-one help were able to grasp the activity, but few came to me for help.

You're welcome! I kinda debated on posting this because it just seems so random and disorganized. But, I'm always looking for new ideas and lessons and strategies, and I know others are, too. You'll have to let me know which ones you use.

Oklahoma just repealed Common Core, so I'm going to have to go back through these and see where they fit in with our old standards that we're going back to!

Sarah!!! I am supposed to be doing my end of year evaluation binder but instead… I’m procrastinating… reading your blog for the better part of an hour. Great Post! I have read many of your posts in the past but I found myself rereading them and going though all of these links. Thank you for sharing! Keep it up!! I feel inspired!!! Now if only this binder would put itself together…

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